Windmill.



B. J. MAcEWEN.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1915.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

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s PATENT senior.

WINIDMILL.

Application filed November 15, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN J. Mao- EWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canutillo, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wind mills, and the primary object thereof is to provide for automatic government of the work performed by the mill according to the winds power, whereby the speed of the wind mill will remain approximately constant.

To the accomplishment of the recited object, and others coordinated therewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides in the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the upper portion of a wind mill showing my improvements; Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the governor slide and its adjuncts.

Generally speaking, my invention involves the application of a governor slide intermediate the crank shaft of the wind mill and the connections to the pitman, the said slide in turn being connected to a regulator vane in such manner that the force of the wind will operate the vane and the slide which is connected to it and thereby automatically lengthen or shorten the stroke of the pitman. I have also devised, in conjunction with the foregoing arrangement, means whereby the wind mill rudder will cooperate with the regulator vane and maintain the latter in inert position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a plurality of standards in and from which rises the usual pitman 2, the same being guided at its upper extremity by the horizontal bracket 3 which is deflected in a plane at right angles to the upright 4. The upright extends vertically from the collar 5 which is disposed immediately upon the top of the standards 1 and has an upwardly extending bifurcated portion 4. Projecting from the opposite side of this collar, and in a plane at right angles to the plane of the upright 4, is an arm 6, also having a vertical extension 7 and an intermediate bifurcated portion 8 corresponding to the bifurcation of the upright 4,

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan. so, rare.

Serial No. 61,673.

as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

At the base of the bifurcated portions of the upright 4 and extension 7 I mount bearing blocks 9, the same having trunnions 10 for the reception of the opposite extremities of a crank shaft 11, which, it will be noted, has an axially offset portion 12. A governorslide 13 has one end 14 loosely fitted upon the offset portion of the crank shaft 11 while the other end 14 of said slide loosely engages a lever 14". This lever has one end connected by means of links 15, 16 and 17 to the pitman 2 and the other end pivotally secured substantially medially of the upright 4, as at 18. In this connection, the upper end of the extension 7 serves as a support for the horizontal link 16. Any conventional type of wind wheel, as 19, may be mounted upon the outer end of the crank shaft 11.

Connected centrally of the governor slide 13 by means of eyes 20 is another lever 21 pivoted at its opposite end to a vertical arm 22 which carries the regulator vane 23. Upon the back of this vane I preferably arrange a rod 24 for the purpose of positioning an adjustable weight 25. A short bracket 26 extending from the upper extremity of the upright 4 constitutes the main support for the depending regulator vane.

The wind mill rudder 27 is pivotally supported upon the oppositely disposed pintles 28 projecting from the brackets 29, and the said vane is designed to be maintained in operative position by means of the vertical stops 30, also carried by said brackets 29. If desired, an adjustable weight 30' may be employed for assisting in sustaining the rudder in its set position, and furthermore, a small side rudder 31 may be mounted upon the arm 6 in close proximity to the wind wheel 19, for the purpose of throwing the wheel out of the wind in severe storms.

In operation, it will be seen that an increase in the force of the wind will move the regulator vane upwardly and shift the governor slide 13 longitudinally of the crank shaft 11 and the lever 14 thereby lengthening the stroke of the pitman and increasing the work to be performed by the wind mill, and, on the other hand, a decrease in the winds force will shift the governor slide outwardly and shorten the stroke of the pitman, and lessen the work, so that the speed of the wind mill will be governed automatically. It follows that the wind wheel necessarily runs at practically the same speed at all times, as the extra power of the wind is taken up by the lengthening stroke which imposes extra work upon the mill.

When the wind is blowing and the regulator vane 23 is forced out, even to its farthest extent, the pulling of the rudder 27 around for the purpose of throwing the mill out of work will result in the rudder arms 27 impinging against the arms of the regulator vane, whereupon the latter will be forced to occupy a perpendicular position, and simultaneously the governor slide will be constrained toward the no-stroke end of the crank shaft. As long as the rudder 27 is held in this position the regulator vane will be manifestly locked and will be prevented from flapping around in the wind while the mill is inactive.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the combination of the weight 25 and the regulator vane 23. By sliding this weight up or down upon the rod 24 a dual function is secured. Not only is the length of the stroke regulated, but the speed of the wheel is governed. By adjusting this weight at a point where it would require two or three times the velocity of the wind then blowing to move the regulator vane the wheel will consequently increase its speed commensurate with the increase in velocity of the wind. Upon elevating the weight the conditions will be reversed. In short, the mill may be set for any desired number of pitman strokes per minute and cannot exceed this speed.

It should be understood that in broader aspects my invention comprehends the employment not only of the means described but of similar means for performing the re cited functions.

What I claim is:

1. In a wind mill, the combination of a pitman, a wind wheel, means connecting the wind wheel and the pitman for varying the stroke of the latter, a regulator vane and a steering device operable in different planes, and adapted to be locked in contact with. each other for rendering said means inoperative.

2. In a windmill, the combination of a pitman, a wind wheel, means connecting the pitman and the wind wheel for automatically varying the stroke of the pitman, a steering device and means engageable with the steering device operative upon throwing the latter in inactive position for rendering saidfirst mentioned means inoperative.

3. In a windmill, the combination of a pitman, a wind wheel, means connecting the pitman and the wind wheel for varying the stroke of the pitman, a regulator vane cooperating with said means, and a rudder having a support adapted to be moved into contact with said vane for rendering said means inoperative.

4. In a windmill, the combination of a pitman, a wind wheel, means connecting the pitman and the wind wheel for varying the stroke. of the pitman, a regulator vane cooperating with said means, a steering device adapted to be moved into contact with said vane for rendering said means inoperative, and independent means carried by said regulator vane for simultaneously regulating'the length of the stroke of the pitman and the speed of the wind wheel.

5. In a wind mill, the combination of a pitman, a wind wheel, means connecting the wind wheel and the pitman for varying the stroke'of the latter, a vertically disposed regulator vane, and a horizontally arranged steering device having a support adapted to be moved into contact with said vane for rendering said means inoperative.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMINJ. MAOEWEN. Witnesses:

JOHN STANFORD, HUMBOLDT Conan.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! meant,- Washington, I G. 

